Unexpected
by miserychickfic
Summary: Jackie&Hyde angst: following their breakup, Hyde is forced to come to terms with his feelings.
1. An Emptiness

Okay, since it's all about the J/H angst/drama, I'm gonna try it out... This is just another fic of how things might turn out after You Shook Me and Nobody's Fault But Mine.  
  
Summary: Jackie and Hyde have broken up. Will they get back together?  
  
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Unexpected - Chapter 1: An Emptiness  
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"But, Jackie....I love you."   
  
His voice was still in her head. She tried to forget those words as she lay on the couch, but her mind kept wandering back to that moment.   
  
She ran her finger along the lettering of his Led Zeppelin tshirt and stared at the ceiling. It was almost a week later and she had barely left Donna's place. She hadn't even seen Steven since the incident. It was enough time to have replayed all the events of the last few days in her head and wonder if she'd made the right decision.   
  
Sighing, she cuddled the shirt, her tears seeping into the fabric. She didn't even notice Donna standing over her.  
  
"Hey," she said quietly. "How you doing?"   
  
Jackie sat up and wiped away a tear, "Well, my boyfriend cheated on me! I'm just hunky dory, Donna!"   
  
Donna smiled and sat down on the couch next to Jackie. "I'm sorry. But Jackie, you can't just mope around my house all day. You're gonna have to see him sometime. I mean, when you and Kelso broke up, you still hung out in the basement."  
  
"I know but that was different."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"It just was okay!" Jackie bit her fingernail and lowered her voice. "It just was...."  
  
"You know.....you're gonna mess up your manicure if you keep biting on that."   
  
Jackie paused and withdrew her hand from her mouth. Too desperate for something to do with her hands, she shrugged and continued gnawing at her jagged finger nails. "What does it matter."  
  
Donna sighed and continued. "Well, have you even been going to school?"  
  
"Well, I called in sick three times.....changed my schedule around so I wouldn't have to see him.....skipped a couple classes..."  
  
Donna looked at her friend with worry. Jackie was never one to blow off school. She did her homework on Saturday for God's sake! And to not care about her appearance? She had no trace of makeup on her face, her hair was atrocious, and nail biting? Donna had never seen Jackie so unlike Jackie before. She wondered if that was good or bad, but quickly shook off the thought.  
  
Jackie looked up from her hand and picked up the tshirt again. She stared at it for a long time, a remorseful look on her face, and turned to Donna.   
  
"....I don't even like Led Zeppelin..." she said quietly.  
  
Donna gave her a sympathetic smile before putting an arm around her. "It's okay, you'll get through this."  
  
Jackie leaned on Donna's shoulder and sighed. "I hope so."   
  
She clutched the shirt in her hand and held it to her face. A feeling of sorrow sweeped over her as she sniffed the last lingering scent of her Steven.  
  
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Another chapter is on the way....just gotta finish typing it up. 


	2. Forced to Hide

Okay, second chapter. Longer than the other one, this is from Hyde's point of view. There will be more thoughts on Jackie's end soon.  
  
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Chapter 2 - Forced to Hide  
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Hyde pulled open the door of the Camino and jammed his keys into the ignition. He could see his breath as he turned on the heat.  
  
Man, it's cold, he thought.  
  
He switched it off and waited for the car's engine to warm up. Leaning his head back he caught sight of the rearview mirror. Jackie's coat was in the backseat. He reached back and held it up. He pictured her little body engulfed in this furry designer coat. His lips turned up slightly thinking of her, but he quickly pushed the image out of his mind and threw the coat into the backseat.  
  
Why does one person need so much fur on a coat anyway?  
  
He let out an exasperated sigh and backed out of the parking lot. This was the first time he had stayed after school. The teachers had watched him the whole time he was in the library. He didn't want to be there of course, but it was better than having to deal with Forman always implying things and of course Donna putting more of a guilt trip on him. Fez was... well he would just babble about needs, but he was really sick of Kelso's incessant remarks about Hyde being no better than him.  
  
He drove along the wet road, his windshield wipers on. The sky was dark and gray, but he preferred that. It was just the way he felt.  
  
I am no better than Kelso, he thought.   
  
He glanced back at the coat lying there, isolated in the corner of the seat.   
  
"I'm such an ass..."  
  
He hit his forehead in disgust with himself and pulled over.  
  
How could he have hurt someone he loved so much? And quite possibly, the only person to have truly loved him? To be apart from her for so long hurt him to no end. But it was his own fault and he knew it.  
  
He didn't know how to put aside his insecurities and just believe that something could be real, that someone could care about him. He knew now that what he and Jackie had was real. She had changed him in a way that not even he himself could explain. The missing piece to the puzzle had been right there in front of his eyes, and she had made him feel whole. Now he'd lost her. And a part of his heart was missing.  
  
Memories began to flood over him as he tried desperately to get them out of his head, but to no avail.  
  
He remembered meeting her for the first time in grade school, annoyed by her selfishness and cheerleader persona. When her and Kelso began to date and even when they broke up she'd become a part of their group, and of course he had kept his image up around her. But somehow she managed to see right through him. So he would just put up his wall and claim he hated her.  
  
But he didn't hated her...he could never hate her.  
  
His head was hanging on the steering wheel as he heard the cars zoom by. He wiped his hands across his face and tried to regain his composure. Restarting the car, he continued on to Forman's. He'd have to face the guys again today and he needed to come off as the regular Hyde. Thoughts of Jackie would just have to be pushed aside, and his don't-give-a-shit exterior would have to be put up again.  
  
He turned onto Forman's street and slowly pulled to a stop a few feet away from Donna's house.  
  
Sitting on the porch was Jackie. This was the first time he'd seen her since their break up. He stared intently at her for a long time. She had no makeup on, her hair was a mess, and she was chewing on her nails.  
  
God, she's beautiful, he thought.  
  
He looked down and hesitated. Should he risk her seeing him now? Maybe he should come home later...  
  
He sat in the car for what seemed like hours before he finally decided to drive by. Putting that cool and composed look back on his face, he pushed on the gas pedal. 


	3. At First Glance

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Chapter 3 - At First Glance  
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Jackie pulled away from her friend and forced a smile.  
  
"Well thanks for being there for me, Donna. I could really use a friend right now." she gave Donna a pat on the arm and walked out of the den.  
  
Donna sat on the couch, looking down at Hyde's shirt lying in a heap on the floor. Just looking at it brought feelings of anger as she was once again reminded of Hyde's betrayal to her best friend.  
  
I can not believe him. she thought, I'm gonna go find Eric.  
  
As she got up to leave, her dad walked through the door with Joanne.  
  
"Hey Donna, Joanne and I are gonna head out for a golf tournament down in Kenosha."  
  
A look of confusion came across Donna's face. "Dad, it's raining."  
  
"I know that Donna," Bob said, rolling his eyes. "That gives us the advantage."  
  
Donna rolled her eyes. "Whatever. When are you gonna be back?"  
  
"Late!" he kissed her on the forehead. As he went out the door, he raised an eyebrow and yelled, "Don't wait up!"  
  
A look of disgust came over Donna's face. "Ew!"  
  
"Take care Donna," Joanne said as she grabbed the golf clubs. Swinging back abruptly she continued. "Oh, and before I forget, I did hear about a tornado warning so keep on your toes. Stay safe."  
  
"Tornado warning? Well then why are you guys golfing!?"  
  
Joanne smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "Mother nature doesn't mess with Joanne Stupak."  
  
And with that she turned and hurried out the door, leaving Donna alone in the house with Jackie.  
  
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Jackie opened the front door to Donna's house and plopped down on the porch. The rain was slowly letting up, coming down in short drips on the pavement. It was comforting to her as she placed her face in her hands.  
  
Her gaze moved downward to a puddle of water a few inches away from her. Somehow the ripples managed to form into Steven's face. She stared longingly at it until she came to her senses. Shaking her head she stamped on the puddle until Steven's face was just her own looking back up at her.  
  
She wanted so much to see Steven, but at the same time she wished she would never have to ever again. She hated not being with him, but she couldn't just forgive him. He cheated. If he really did love her, why would he cheat?   
  
He probably only said it so I wouldn't break up with him...  
  
Feelings of great sadness overwhelmed her and she began furiously biting at her nails.  
  
Looking up she noticed a small black car drive by. She stared at the person in the driver's seat and pulled her hand out of her mouth. As she looked at the guy, she slowly but surely came to the realization of his identity.  
  
Oh my God, she thought. Did he see me? Oh, gosh I hope not! I'm a mess!  
  
She pulled at a straggly piece of hair and buried her face in her hands once more. The thought of Steven seeing her like this made her want to hit her self for even being outside.  
  
"It's four o'clock and I'm in Donna's big ol' sweatpants! He must think I'm still crying over him...well...I am, but he shouldn't have the satisfaction of knowing!" She got up and placed her hands on her hips. Through the shrubs she could see Hyde getting out of his car and walking towards the screen doors. She noticed that he didn't bother to shield himself from the rain. The water matted his hair and raindrops fell calmly down his cheeks.  
  
At the sight of that familiar face, her hands slowly fell from her hips and she collapsed on the porch once more.  
  
"He's so scruffy..." she thought, a dreamy look on her face. She quickly changed her tone and said muttered, "Why is he so goddamn scruffy!"  
  
She jumped up and made her way into the house. With her newfound feeling of pride and the urge to prove Steven wrong somehow, she marched up the stairs to put on her cutest outfit. She had to get ready to face Steven.  
  
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Hyde waltzed past Kitty sitting at the kitchen table with slow and quiet footsteps. He made it to the basement door before his name was called by a shrilly Kitty Forman.  
  
"STEVEN!"   
  
He reluctantly turned and managed a sheepish grin.  
  
"Hey Mrs. Forman...." He knew another talk was about to come.  
  
Kitty smiled and motioned for him to sit down. With a heavy sigh, he made his way back to the table and sat next to her.  
  
"Now Steven," she said, "I understand you and Jackie are going through a very rough time. But you have to know that these things happen in a relationship. You just have to figure out who did what wrong and figure out a way to resolve that and come to a compromise."  
  
"Mrs. Forman, it doesn't matter anymore. There is no Jackie and me. Besides, I have better things to do than worry about chicks." he folded his arms across his chest and tried to hide the pain in his eyes.  
  
Kitty could of course see past that, but decided not to interfere any further.  
  
"Okay then. It's your life, do what you want. You just go down to the basement now." She got up and slowly walked away.  
  
Hyde stayed where he was for a minute or two contemplating his thoughts. A surge of anger came over him and he banged his fist on the table before burying his face in his hands.  
  
He didn't notice Kitty still standing in the living room door, only being able to wonder what thoughts were going through his troubled mind.  
  
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	4. Can't Cry in Front of You

Ahh, I know it's been FOREVER since i've updated, i've been busy. But here's the latest installment for you to enjoy!  
  
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Chapter 4 - Can't Cry in Front of You  
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"Hey losers."  
  
Hyde romped down the stairs in his normal fashion, Kelso and Eric were hanging out as usual.  
  
"Hyde, man, where ya been?" Eric asked as he fiddled with a paddle ball.  
  
"No where. Cruisin, partyin, the usual." He sat in his chair and grabbed a magazine. Kelso got up from the couch and walked over to the freezer.  
  
"See, Eric, I knew he was over the whole Jackie thing. And you were worried!"   
  
Hyde shifted uncomfortably in his seat as Kelso continued giggling.   
  
"This guy bounces back!" he said as he reached for a popsicle, "See, he can't handle the short leash because he's not a one woman man! He an every woman man!"  
  
Eric looked at Kelso. "Yeah, so are you."   
  
Kelso waved a finger at Eric, "Ahh, but I can handle the short leash. There's the difference."  
  
Eric rolled his eyes and continued playing with the paddle. "You know this whole Jackie thing has got Donna mad at me. And I'm not even involved! Hyde, you're causing a lot of problems for me man. Sticking up for you is making my fun time with Donna go down the crapper. And do you know what it is not to have fun time? ......well it's not fun I'll tell you that."  
  
Hyde put his magazine down. "Look Forman, I don't like you guys talking about me behind my back. Whatever Donna has to say, you don't have to stick up for me. I can handle it myself."   
  
Eric shrugged as the door flew open.   
  
"Eric! Where the hell have you been!"   
  
Eric looked up to a furious Donna. "Um...in the base....ment?"  
  
Hyde piped up, "Give him a break Donna. Where the hell else would he be?"  
  
Donna cocked her head to one side and made her way across the room.   
  
"Well look who's talking! Sitting there, acting like everything's normal, not a care in the world. I guess it's easier to be the cheatER than the cheatED, huh?"  
  
Hyde threw his magazine down on the floor. "Look, I don't need another lecture from you or anybody else. I'm going to my room."   
  
As Hyde staggered to his room, Eric got up and walked towards Donna. In a low voice he muttered, "Donna be easy on him. I know he feels bad enough about Jackie, so just let it go."  
  
Donna teetered back and forth as she thought.   
"Yeah, fine.....I guess that was harsh. But he's not the victim alright! He deserves to feel bad, it's his own fault." She sat down with a huff as Eric took hold of her hand.  
  
"Look if they're meant to be, then they will be. Just like us, you know. We went through hard times, and look at us now. We're really happy together and we love eachother. It'll be all the better for nature to just take it's course with those two."  
  
"Yeah," Donna agreed. "We are really happy now." She smiled and gave him a quick kiss. A look of doubt came across her face as a thought crossed her mind.   
  
"But Eric....you never cheated on me..."  
  
Just then, the door swung open.   
  
There was Jackie, looking as fresh and polished as ever. Her hair was curled accentuating her face and her makeup was impeccable.   
  
She made her way over to the couch and nestled her self in between Donna and Eric. She threw an arm around both of them.  
  
"What's going on guys?" she chirped.  
  
Surprised to see Jackie out and about, Donna and Eric shrugged.  
  
"Jackie, what are you--" Eric started. He caught sight of Donna giving him a look and glanced back at Jackie. Her cheerful exterior, as genuine as she tried to make it appear, still lacked a Jackie personality. Her normal tendencies just wouldn't make themselves known, and Eric knew why. The sadness wouldn't allow her to be herself.   
  
The Devil had feelings and as much as he didn't want to, he felt for her.  
  
He started again. "..it's good to see you on your feet, Jackie."   
  
A grateful smile managed to creep out onto her face and she gave his arm a squeeze.   
  
"Thanks Eric." she picked up the magazine that Hyde had dropped on the floor and started scanning through the pages. "So....where is everyone else?"  
  
"Forman, I thought I told you to stop hiding your magazines in my--" Hyde caught glance of Jackie as he walked out into the basement. "--room."  
  
Jackie stood up and faced him.   
  
"Hi..." she said quietly.  
  
Hyde walked across the room so he was directly in front of her. "Hey."  
  
Eric looked at Donna, "Maybe we should go." They headed for the door and yanked Kelso from the lawn chair.  
  
As the door swung shut behind them, Jackie and Hyde had already made their way on the couch.  
  
He looked at her. "How you been?"  
  
"Well I've been busy...um, you know with school, and....and cheerleading. Things like that."  
  
"Yeah." Hyde removed his gaze from her eyes. He knew he wouldn't be able to look into them without letting go of his feelings. And right now he wanted them pent up.  
  
"...What have you been doing?" she stared at him curiously.   
  
Looking down at the floor, he managed a reply. "Oh, you know...the same."  
  
She let out a little chuckle. "I didn't know you liked cheerleading, Steven."   
  
He smiled to himself. It was good to hear her call him Steven. They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments before they both turned to eachother.  
  
"Steven--"  
  
"Jackie, I--"  
  
They paused mid sentence and stared at eachother. Once again Hyde tried to turn away, but this time it was no use. He was captured by her eyes, and no force would be able to turn him away.  
  
They stared long enough that he could see the sadness in her heart. And she could see the remorse in his.   
  
He leaned forward. She could feel his breath on her face as he slowly inched his way to her lips. She felt a warm brush against her cheek as he drew closer and closer to her mouth. She closed her eyes and touched his face with a heavy hand. Then quickly turned away.  
  
"Steven....you can't kiss me and make things better. I can't just forget what you did."  
  
He paused, still inches away from the side of her face. Sitting back he looked down to the floor. "Jackie....I know. I'm not trying to make you forget or trying to fix things."  
  
"Well you should fix it!"  
  
Hyde shook his head, "No, I didn't mean it that way. I mean....okay, I don't think that by kissing you I can just undo what I did. It's just....I felt.....look, just forget it." He unfolded his glasses from his shirt and covered his eyes.  
  
Jackie looked at him, knowing this was his way of hiding from her. "...Steven, I promised myself that I wouldn't go out with another cheater. I can't just go back on that promise."  
  
"Well you went back out with Kelso a couple times I recall." Hyde remarked, crossing his arms.  
  
Jackie stood up. "Look, Hyde, you can't judge me on Michael. He was my first and only boyfriend until you. It meant something to me. I was young, I wanted to be in love. And I thought that was love!"  
  
Hyde regretted his words, but still managed to come off as if he didn't care.  
  
Jackie lowered her voice. "But we were in love, Steven. Real love. Not a silly crush or a fling, even though that's what I thought it was in the beginning. It was love."  
  
"Well.....maybe it wasn't love." he choked. "Maybe it was just a stupid fling that should have never happened."  
  
Jackie looked at him with surprise. ".....Steven you can't mean that. I thought you said.......you told me you loved me."  
  
Hyde stood up and faced her. "Well," he started, his voice shaking, "I think we both said a lot of things that we didn't mean."  
  
She stood there for a few seconds, looking at his cold expression, taking in his hurtful words.   
  
He looked back at her, holding his own, his emotions hidden behind the unfeeling look on his face.  
  
Bewildered, Jackie waited and hoped for a glimmer of truth to come forward behind his dark glasses. But he didn't falter.  
  
In instant deja vu, she bolted out the door.  
  
Hyde looked on, arms still crossed. He was thankful for his glasses. His eyes shielded from hers.  
  
She hadn't been able to see the tears welding up inside of them. 


	5. Warning

Yeah, I know, last chapter's got u pissed at Hyde. Hopefully Hyde will redeem himself somehow. I really appreciate all the great reviews coming in! It made me continue on with this charade! So read on!  
  
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Chapter 5 - Warning  
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Jackie ran through the street as the rain crashed down on her tear stained face. She finally reached Donna's house and closed the door. Leaning against it she slowly fell to the ground.  
  
Sobbing uncontrollably, thoughts raced through her head.   
  
Just when he starts to open up to me, he has to go on the defense...why can't he just be honest about how he feels!  
  
She hated that about him...but it was also, in a sense, what attracted her to him. Everything about him, no matter how annoying those qualities sometimes were, made Hyde Hyde.   
  
Deep in her heart she knew that he hadn't meant the things he'd said. But she couldn't help but feel like she'd lost him already.  
  
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Fez opened the basement door and crept inside. He took off his wet jacket, revealing a small bag that he clutched close to his heart. Looking around the room, he made his way to the couch and sat the paper bag on his lap. Rubbing his hands together, he carefully pulled it open and shoved his hand inside.  
  
"Fez?"  
  
"Aii!" Startled, he hugged his bag protectively as he caught sight of Kelso.   
  
"Whatcha got there, buddy?" Kelso asked as he sat down next to Fez. He pulled the bag from Fez's grip and peaked inside. "Candy, Fez? Man you have a problem..."  
  
Fez looked back ashamed. "I know....candy: it is my weakness....how I hate you....and yet..." he stared at the blowpop Kelso held in his hand. "......You can't have it, it's mine!"   
  
He lunged forward at Kelso. As they wrestled over the precious piece of candy, they failed to notice Hyde as he emerged from his room, grabbed the bag of candy, and walk back into his safe haven.   
  
Just then, Eric entered the basement and noticed Kelso and Fez in a brawl on the ground.   
  
"What the hell are you doing?"   
  
The guys looked up, Kelso holding the sucker up out of Fez's reach, dazed looks on both their faces.  
  
Eric walked past and snatched the sucker out of Kelso's hand.   
  
"You two are wierd." He unwrapped the blowpop and stuck it in his mouth.   
As Kelso and Fez grudgingly got up, Eric asked, "Have you guys seen Hyde?"  
  
"No," Fez said opening the freezer. "I didn't see anybody when I came in."   
  
"Maybe he's in his room." Kelso added.  
  
"Yeah probably," Eric said, "I'm gonna go talk to him."   
  
Eric walked over to Hyde's room and knocked on the door.   
  
"It's open," he heard from behind the door. He made his way in and shut the door behind him.  
  
Fez sat down on the couch and looked around the room.   
  
"Where is my candy!?"  
  
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"What do you want Forman?"  
  
Eric sat down on the edge of Hyde's bed and stared at the frizzy mass of hair looking up at him.  
  
"Quit suffocating yourself, man. What happened earlier?"  
  
Hyde pulled his face out of the pillow and sat up. "What do you wanna know."  
  
"Well, how did it go? What did you talk about?"  
  
"Well," Hyde ran a hand through his hair, "it started out pretty good...but then some things just happened....and....I blew it man."  
  
Eric pulled the sucker out of his mouth and looked down. "Hyde....I know you're gonna say I sound like a chick.....or....I duno.....call me Erica. But you gotta go after her. I mean you love her right?"  
  
Hyde shifted his glance to his hands. "Get outta here, man. Leave me alone." He laid his head back on the pillow and looked up at the ceiling.   
  
Eric turned back to Hyde. "Do you love her?"  
  
Hyde continued to stare at the ceiling. After a long silence, he replied, "Yes--No! I don't know...."   
  
"Well....can you stop thinking about her?"  
  
".......no."  
  
"....When you think about her, does it make you happy?"  
  
"Nothing makes me happy Forman."  
  
Eric smiled slightly. "Funny you say that now....especially since you used to always say that....at least before you and Jackie were together..."  
  
Hyde shook his head....and smiled.  
  
"Alright, yeah, I like thinking about her, so what."  
  
"So it makes you happy to think about her?"  
  
"Yeah, Yeah, it makes me happy!" Hyde sat up next to Eric and managed another smile.  
  
Eric, realizing what Jackie meant to Hyde, looked at him with amazement. The guy's crazy about her, he thought.   
  
Smiling to himself, Eric continued on. "So right now, you can't stop thinking about her. And when you do think about her, you're happy."  
  
"I guess that sums it up."   
  
"......so if that's the case.....why are you so miserable?"  
  
Hyde looked at Eric and Eric looked back. Looking back down, a realization came over Hyde and he stood up.   
  
".....I love Jackie," he realized. "....Eric, I love her."   
  
Smiling, Eric nodded in agreement. "I know, man."  
  
"I gotta go find Jackie." he lunged toward the door, then paused and look back at Eric, smile still planted on his face. "Erica, you're some chick."   
  
Eric smiled back as he watched Hyde run from the room to find the woman he loved.  
  
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On his way out the door, Hyde ran into Donna.  
  
"Oh, sorry Donna, I gotta go see Jackie."  
  
"You can't do that."  
  
Confused, Hyde looked at her. "...why not?"  
  
"Because I don't know where she is. I haven't seen her since Eric and I left you guys alone." Donna stepped inside and closed the door.  
  
Hyde stepped back and sat down. "Well.....I mean, where could she--I mean, why would--are you sure she's not at your house?"  
  
"Positive," Donna replied as Eric came into the room. "I came down here because the Tornado warning is in effect. We don't have a basement, and you know this is pretty serious. It's supposed to go through Point Place..."  
  
Hyde looked up. "Oh, my God, Jackie."   
  
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A little R&R is always appreciated :) 


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